This is a handy acronym that summarizes the subcommunities that are marginalized in regards to sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. The acronym often stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer, Pansexual, Intersex, Asexual.

Transgender is an umbrella term for indivduals whose gender identity is different from the one assigned to them at birth. Transgender individuals may identify as women, men, neither, both, or something else entirely. Some common identities under this umbrella include genderqueer, gender non-conforming, non-binary, agender, Two-Spirit (used by some indigenous Native American communites), trans woman, and trans man. Often, transgender will be shortened to trans* to acknowledge the multitude of idenities held in this community.

The word queer has often used been as an insult. Many people in the community have decided to reclaim the word to take away others' power to hurt them. It is also useful as a word that encompasses all identities under the LGBT+ umbrella. However, you should only call someone queer, if they have indicated that they are okay with that word being used for themselves.

In 1978 Gilbert Baker proposed the idea of a rainbow flag to the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade in response to their request for a symbol that could be used every year. Today, the rainbow flag continues to be a symbol for the colorful diversity, optimism, and strength of the gay rights movement worldwide.

The pink triangle, the most widely recognized of all LGBTQ symbols, was derived from Nazi Death camps in WWII. Gay or bisexual men were forced to wear pink triangles to mark them, as Jews wore the yellow Star of David. The LGBTQ liberation movement adopted the triangle to turn a symbol of degradation into one of pride. Lesbian and bisexual women, who were not singled out in the camps, were sometimes arrested instead as sex workers and forced to wear the black triangle worn by those branded as criminals.

In the early 1970s, in the wake of the Stonewall Rebellion (in which gays fought back for the first time against police harassment and repression), New York City's Gay Activists Alliance selected the Greek letter lambda as its emblem. Since then the lambda letter has spread throughout the world as a frequent symbol for gay rights organizations, such as the Lambda Legal Defense Fund (a gay rights legal services organization).

Connections between purple and ancient gay stories and traditions indicate that lavender has considerably more significance than the mixture of "female red" and "male blue" colors. Purple represents, brings about, and is present during radical transformation from one state of being to another.

The general consensus in Psychology and Medicine is that genetic factors probably do play some role in determining sexual orientation. This genetic background is then accompanied by environmental factors such as the culture you grow up in, your parents' education and beliefs, your religion, whether you meet gay friends in your youth, etc. etc. etc.—factors that shape this (perhaps only somewhat) predetermined orientation, either smothering it or letting it unfold. It is rather true to say that your sexual orientation is a natural, and important, part of who you are.

No. The reality is that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable. In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the official manual that lists mental and emotional disorders. Two years later, the American Psychological Association resolved to support the removal. Ever since, both associations have urged all mental health professionals to help dispel the stigma of mental illness associated with homosexual orientation.

They tell about it because sharing that aspect of themselves with others is important to their mental health. In fact, the process of identity development for lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals, called coming out, has been found to be strongly related to psychological adjustment—the more positive the gay, lesbian, or bisexual identity, the better one's mental health and the higher one's self-esteem.

While HIV affects Americans from all walks of life, the epidemic continues to disproportionately impact gay and bisexual men[1], transgender women, youth ages 13-24 and communities of color, particularly in the southern United States. While tremendous medical advances have helped HIV-positive individuals live longer, healthier lives, there remains no cure and tens of thousands of new infections occur every year. Insufficient funding for HIV programs, as well as prevention methods that are not scientifically sound and persistent stigma and discrimination continue to make it difficult to fight the epidemic and provide the best possible care to those living with HIV.

Cross dressing is the practice of wearing clothing typically associated with a gender different than one's own and is independent of one's sexual orientation. Many indidviduals who crossdress do not necessarily desire to be a different gender.